Photo Epic: EWS Sugarloaf 2022
There were twists, turns and high drama in Sugarloaf as a revitalized Isabeau Courdurier extended her lead in the 2022 Enduro World Series with a faultless technical display to take the win at the sixth round here in the US state of Maine. While Canada’s Jesse Melamed did the same, riding to another victory after his closest rivals - the USA’s Richie Rude and Jack Moir struggled with crashes and mechanicals.
Courdurier, who struggled through the first two of three back-to-back rounds in Canada and the USA, found her form and fitness again here in Sugarloaf storming to victory on the tricky roots and rocks of the brand-new venue. The 28-year-old struck first on the Pro Stage on Saturday and then again on Stage 2 to start off Sunday morning. In fact she didn’t drop out of the top four on a day she capped off with victory on the final of six stages.
In the end it was Britain’s Rebecca Baraona who would take second after a win on Stage 3, while fellow Brit Ella Conolly took third after a win on the penultimate stage of the day. The UK’s Harriet Harnden missed the chance to make round six three wins in a row after an arm injury flared up and prevented her from starting.
Courdurier will go into the final block of two European races with a 295-point lead over France’s Morgane Charre with Bex Baraona in third.
In the men’s race it looked like last week’s winner, Richie Rude might cruise to victory on home soil again until disaster struck for the American with crashes on the highly-technical stages 4 & 5, the second of which injured his shoulder. Rude had won Stage 3 by some 14 seconds to take a lead of more than 21 seconds into the second half of the race. But it wasn’t to be after Rude washed his front wheel out on stage 4 and then damaged his shoulder while crashing into a tree on stage 5, losing swathes of time in the process.
2021 series champ Jack Moir also looked like he might give Melamed a run for his money but a puncture and a damaged rear wheel on the rocky start of Stage 3 quashed his day’s ambitions, costing him some 10 minutes. Adding insult to injury he would puncture again on Stage 4 to finish well down the order.
It was Martin Maes who came closest to the Melamed in the end, just 3.66s back after nearly 27 minutes of racing, with Saturday's Pro Stage winner Matt Walker in third. Melamed will don the yellow plate of series leader at the seventh round of the EWS in the Swiss resort of Crans Montana in mid-September. Rude trails Melamed now by 450 points and Maes is in third. 2021 champ Moir is left with a mountain to climb after dropping to eighth after finishing the day in 107th.
All eyes will now switch to the final block of racing in Europe with two more rounds in Crans Montana, Switzerland and Loudenvielle in France. Additionally, the all-important selection for the Trophy of Nations teams will be on the riders' minds over the next few weeks as national, industry and privateer line-ups are soon to be announced for the showdown in Finale Ligure, Italy.
Views from the top of Stage 3
A whole lot more chair lifts this weekend than last...
Things got off to a bit of a wet start
Spikes were a thing for many riders this week, even come race day to battle the fresh cut trails
Moody and muddy was the vibe to kick off practice after two straight days of rain
Greg Callaghan in conditions far from what would be faced on race day
Loam showers
Splash
Lots of fresh loam out there once the sun had its way with all the mud
A game of millimeters in the Maine woods
7th for Raphaela Richter
Jesse turned around a disastrous race that at one point saw him almost 26 seconds behind the leaders
Seth Sherlock amongst some tight trees on Stage 2
Matt Walker losing the lead and a battle with this tree on stage 2
Bex Baraona charging to her third podium finish this season with another 2nd place
A best ever result and just 5 seconds off the podium for Gloria Scarsi
Only tiny trees to navigate for Morgane Charre on Stage 3
A long way down from the top of stage 3
Dimitri Tordo on Stage 4
A reminder that these trails are used for skiing 5 months a year
Sticking a tube in to try and salvage the day for Jack as the #1 plate slips away
Not one, but two rear punctures would spell disaster for Jack Moir on Sunday
Another win and a strong lead in the overall for Isabeau Courdurier with just two rounds to go
Ella Conolly back on the podium
Isabeau Courdurier back to her winning ways
Noga Korem looking smooth before a weekend ender
A rough day for Noga Korem, but thankfully nothing broken and she will be back at it in no time
Jack Moir during Friday's training
Dropping in from the peak on Stage 3
Full gas from Jesse Melamed on stage 5
Richie Rude crushed all on stage 3 by 15 seconds, but a crash one stage later would leave him injured and barely able to ride
Lots of threading the needle here in Maine
Alex Storr ran in the top 10 for the first half of the day before some ig crashes pushed him back to 22nd.
Unfortunately Jack Menzies had to pull out of the race part way through Sunday. We hope it's nothing serious and that the young Canadian will be able to line up in Switzerland next month
It all came undone for Remi Gauvin again on stage 2
Morgane Charre with a rough go at the tight stage 2 that would set her back into 8th
A few crashes, a flat, and a broken brake lever for Jill Kintner
Alex Rudeau just off the podium in 4th
Slawomir Lukasik navigating the rocks on his way to another strong finish in 6th
Cody Kelley with some style on Stage 6
Innes Graham also with some style on Stage 6
Iago Garay
Florencia Espineira in 10th
Andreanne Lanthier Nadeau back between the tape after illness forced her to sit out last weeks race in Vermont
Loose as out in the open on Stage 3
The only way to ride the now blown out fresh cut trails at Sugarloaf
Christian Textor eyes closed and smashing rocks
Eddie Masters just off the pace but of the leaders but 5th on the day
McKay Vezina and the abundant slippery rocks
Melanie Pugin came out swinging during Saturday's pro stage but would have a huge crash to start the day on Sunday
Back on the hunt and 10th for Sam Hill on the rowdy natural trails of Sugarloaf, Maine
Richie Rude one again in a tight battle with Jesse Melamed this weekend
Cole Lucas keeping it consistent in the top 10 once again
What a breakthrough result for Frenchman Irenee Menjou who would finish a career-best 7th at Sugarloaf
Colton Peterson waving the flag for the USA into 9th
Rae Morrison with another top 10
12th for Miranda Miller in Maine
McKay Vezina getting loose on Stage 3
Pro Stage winner Matt Walker would cling onto 3rd when the dust and mud settled on Sunday
Youn Deniaud was running in 2nd with two stages to go before a puncture pushed him down to 39th
Not many riders escaped this weekend without a few scrapes and bruises
Bex Baraona in a moment of disbelief after taking 2nd, and her third podium of the season
Martin Maes and that look when you realize you just missed out on your first win of the season
Sportsmanship
All smiles for Isabeau
Isabeau Courdurier, Bex Baraona, and Ella Conolly celebrate on the podium
Familiar faces on the box, Jesse Melamed, Martin Maes, Matt Walker
Canada reigns supreme in this North American battle taking 2-3 for the elite men
What an end to a three-week block of racing in the USA and Canada
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Massive props to the whole crew at Sugarloaf; I hope we see this venue back on the schedule in 2024!
What I love about MTB is it is the perfect compliment to winter sports such that these companies can retain their talent year round, which leads to better talent, which leads to better events.
Weirdly I hate paper anything except mags and still review old mags b/c though indexing ain't an option, the rapid access to past events is fast & raw...hard to begin to find that online. Still have 15 yrs of Thrasher & TWS sk8 mags I view often and same w/ MTB mags. Everything ultimately gets lost online...